Latest / The Mike Keith Show / The Mike Keith Show | TRAVIS SMITH JR., GEORGE MACINTYRE, KENNEDI ROGERS (9.8.26)

Transcript

The Mike Keith Show | TRAVIS SMITH JR., GEORGE MACINTYRE, KENNEDI ROGERS (9.8.26) · The Mike Keith Show

0:00
SPEAKER_07: From the peaks of the smokies to the banks of the Mississippi.
0:06
SPEAKER_07: This is your home for the University of Tennessee.
0:10
SPEAKER_07: What a boo coaster.
0:12
SPEAKER_07: That doesn't work.
0:13
SPEAKER_09: It climbed the ladder.
0:14
SPEAKER_09: Ball's getting big driven by Orange Dirk.
0:19
SPEAKER_09: Big Orange.
0:20
SPEAKER_07: This is the Vall Network.
0:26
SPEAKER_07: Inside Access, behind the scenes.
0:29
SPEAKER_07: From Rocky Top, direct from the coaches.
0:32
SPEAKER_07: Insight from the players.
0:34
SPEAKER_07: The inside track.
0:36
SPEAKER_07: Mike Keith starts now.
0:40
SPEAKER_09: So glad to have you with us as the holiday weekend is complete.
0:44
SPEAKER_09: The volunteers are moving towards Georgia Tech, but still, Tennessee fans reveling in what was the season opening win over Furman 56-9.
0:55
SPEAKER_09: We're going to take a look back at that and help you have that experience one more time.
1:01
SPEAKER_09: Inside the Opener is presented by Google Gemini.
1:15
SPEAKER_09: Many in attendance arose before dawn this morning to make a long drive, to begin preparations, or because they just could not sleep.
2:08
SPEAKER_09: A few Saturdays in the late summer and fall, when for a few hours, the focus of the world narrows, people have the chance to come together, their hearts rise and fall with these men in those orange shirts.
2:25
SPEAKER_09: It is here.
2:26
SPEAKER_09: We are here.
2:28
SPEAKER_09: You are here.
2:30
SPEAKER_09: It is time for those orange shirts.
2:34
SPEAKER_09: Because wherever you're listening, throughout the world, ladies and gentlemen, it's football time in Tennessee.
2:51
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee wins the toss, elects to defer.
2:55
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee.
3:02
SPEAKER_09: Garcia.
3:03
SPEAKER_09: Play fake in trouble.
3:08
SPEAKER_09: High three weathersby.
3:11
SPEAKER_09: Shot out of a cannon.
3:13
SPEAKER_08: Puts him down outside the 16-yard line.
3:16
SPEAKER_08: Furman tried to play action pass.
3:19
SPEAKER_08: He don't have a lot of time with Weathersby.
3:24
SPEAKER_09: On second and long.
3:25
SPEAKER_09: Brandon to throw it again.
3:27
SPEAKER_09: Looking right, firing right, man is there.
3:29
SPEAKER_09: Michael Matthews.
3:31
SPEAKER_09: Matthews caught and out of bounds inside the 40 by Easterling.
3:35
SPEAKER_08: First down, big orange.
3:37
SPEAKER_08: Break protection, really good route with Mike Matthews on the comeback route.
3:42
SPEAKER_08: Brandon.
3:45
SPEAKER_09: Hitting the backfield breaks a tackle and is able to go past left guard beyond the 35 to the 34.
3:54
SPEAKER_09: Tarver with the tackle.
3:56
SPEAKER_08: Nice body balance by Deshaun Bishop.
3:59
SPEAKER_08: Got stuffed initially, kept his balance, picked up extra yards.
4:03
SPEAKER_09: It's Jackson wide to the left.
4:05
SPEAKER_09: At the 28.
4:07
SPEAKER_09: Pressure coming.
4:08
SPEAKER_09: Brandon steps up.
4:09
SPEAKER_09: He'll run it.
4:10
SPEAKER_09: To the 25, to the 20.
4:12
SPEAKER_09: Brandon has his first down and is down at the 16.
4:16
SPEAKER_09: Peebles with the tackle.
4:17
SPEAKER_08: The balls are in the red zone.
4:19
SPEAKER_08: Offensive line paving the way for face arm Brandon.
4:22
SPEAKER_08: My goodness.
4:27
SPEAKER_09: Brandon looks down the middle.
4:29
SPEAKER_09: He fires complete.
4:31
SPEAKER_09: Touchdown.
4:33
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee.
4:35
SPEAKER_06: Ethan Davis inside the left hash mark.
4:41
SPEAKER_09: And a bullet thrown by Brandon for the first of what they feel like will be many.
4:47
SPEAKER_08: Touchdown passes for Faison.
4:49
SPEAKER_08: The Berman defender shouldn't feel bad.
4:51
SPEAKER_08: Not many people can guard Ethan Davis in space.
4:54
SPEAKER_08: Ethan Davis did a really good job of working inside, giving Fazon Brandy a huge target.
5:00
SPEAKER_08: Touchdown, Tennessee.
5:01
SPEAKER_09: Love it.
5:02
SPEAKER_09: 1042 remaining.
5:04
SPEAKER_09: First quarter.
5:05
SPEAKER_09: Your score, Tennessee 7, Burman nothing.
5:10
SPEAKER_09: Fourth and a half yard.
5:14
SPEAKER_09: Keeping Garcia taken down.
5:16
SPEAKER_09: He did not make it.
5:18
SPEAKER_09: What a play in the backfield by Amari Campbell, the Penn State transfer.
5:25
SPEAKER_09: He was not fooled by the fate.
5:27
SPEAKER_09: And Campbell takes Garcia down for a half-yard loss.
5:31
SPEAKER_09: The ball goes over on down.
5:34
SPEAKER_09: On second down, play fake.
5:36
SPEAKER_09: Trying to go to the right side on a quick screen.
5:39
SPEAKER_09: It's not there, but who is?
5:51
SPEAKER_09: But we know it's third and thirteen at the Tennessee 43.
5:57
SPEAKER_09: Garcia.
6:00
SPEAKER_09: Play fake.
6:01
SPEAKER_09: Under some heat up the middle.
6:03
SPEAKER_09: This time it is SAC! Gilliam again!
6:10
SPEAKER_08: You never block Killium with a tight end.
6:13
SPEAKER_08: You are asking for a sack.
6:15
SPEAKER_08: He has been a one-man wrecking crew on this drive for Tennessee.
6:21
SPEAKER_09: Takes the snap, looks to his left under pressure.
6:28
SPEAKER_08: Balls get there with Spillman.
6:33
SPEAKER_08: Brought the phone.
6:35
SPEAKER_09: My goodness.
6:37
SPEAKER_09: Gordon is the back.
6:39
SPEAKER_09: Tight ends wing the backs in the backfield.
6:43
SPEAKER_09: They're gonna give it to Gordon.
6:45
SPEAKER_09: Here he goes.
6:45
SPEAKER_09: 35.
6:47
SPEAKER_09: Gordon breaks the tackle outside 30.
6:49
SPEAKER_09: 25, 20, 15, and he's angled out of bounds.
6:53
SPEAKER_09: They'll say he stepped out back at the 18.
6:56
SPEAKER_09: Miller with the tackle, gain of 24 and a first down, big orange.
7:00
SPEAKER_08: You're not gonna arm tackle Gordon, and he has the speed to break away.
7:06
SPEAKER_09: Option keeping and finding nothing but green green grass.
7:11
SPEAKER_09: It's number 11, Fazon Brandon, going six for six.
7:17
SPEAKER_09: Touchdown!
7:18
SPEAKER_08: Tennessee, Fazon Brandon! Great play call.
7:23
SPEAKER_08: They did not respect Fezon Brandon's ability to pull it the last two towns while they were able to crash in on Gordon to stop him.
7:30
SPEAKER_08: Great play call with the speed option.
7:32
SPEAKER_08: Faison walks into the end zone untouched.
7:46
SPEAKER_09: Quick throw, left side, ball caught.
7:48
SPEAKER_09: Jackson gets away.
7:49
SPEAKER_09: 20, 15, 10, and a touchdown saving tackle by Tarver at the seven.
7:58
SPEAKER_09: Quickly, Furman has a problem.
8:00
SPEAKER_09: Handoff, Bishop at right guard, in for the touchdown.
8:05
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee, flag down, and I think it's Furman had too many men on the field.
8:11
SPEAKER_09: Ren Vier for point, and his kick is up, and his kick is good.
8:14
SPEAKER_09: 305 remaining in the first half.
8:17
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee 21.
8:18
SPEAKER_09: Furman, nothing.
8:20
SPEAKER_09: Brandon in trouble, steps up to go.
8:23
SPEAKER_09: He's got the 40.
8:25
SPEAKER_09: He stumbles as he is tripped in the open field inside the 30.
8:30
SPEAKER_09: Peebles got him to the ground at the 28.
8:33
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee all on the ground from their own 18 to the 28 of the Paladins with a minute 12 left in counting.
8:42
SPEAKER_09: Quarterback draw.
8:43
SPEAKER_09: Brandon to the five.
8:44
SPEAKER_09: Brandon into the end zone.
8:48
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee.
8:54
SPEAKER_09: Two on the day for Bayon Brandon.
8:58
SPEAKER_09: And the lead is 27 with the point.
9:01
SPEAKER_08: The quarterback draw, the speed option for Baison Brandon.
9:04
SPEAKER_08: It has been unstoppable for the ball.
9:08
SPEAKER_08: Herman has not been able to find an answer for his leg.
9:15
SPEAKER_09: Brandon from his 45 Tennessee moving right to left under radio dive.
9:20
SPEAKER_09: Play fake.
9:21
SPEAKER_09: Brandon throws keep down the middle.
9:22
SPEAKER_09: There's Matthews.
9:23
SPEAKER_09: He got it at the 25, at the 20, at the 15, at the 10, at the 5 in the end zone.
9:30
SPEAKER_09: Touchdown!
9:32
SPEAKER_08: Tennessee! Doesn't get much easier than that.
9:40
SPEAKER_09: Play fake.
9:41
SPEAKER_09: Brandon looking deep, throwing deep.
9:44
SPEAKER_09: There's Matthews again.
9:45
SPEAKER_06: He's got him at the 10 at the 5 in the end zone.
9:49
SPEAKER_06: Touchdown! Tennessee!
9:53
SPEAKER_08: Michael Matthews.
9:56
SPEAKER_08: Flat foot safety, quarter coverage, post route wins every time.
10:01
SPEAKER_08: Mike Matthews with a great route and a great finish.
10:06
SPEAKER_09: Changing their defense.
10:08
SPEAKER_09: Garcia under pressure.
10:12
SPEAKER_09: It's Xavier Gilliam gets it back at the 33-yard line.
10:19
SPEAKER_09: That's three on the day for the X-Men.
10:25
SPEAKER_09: McIntyre's gonna throw it.
10:27
SPEAKER_09: Looking.
10:28
SPEAKER_09: Fires deep right side for Keys in the end zone.
10:31
SPEAKER_09: Touchdown!
10:33
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee.
10:36
SPEAKER_06: George McIntyre to TK Keys for a big six.
10:44
SPEAKER_09: Baker on the right side of his room.
10:46
SPEAKER_09: 30, 40, Baker 50, 40, touch back, 35, breaks the tackle, 30.
10:52
SPEAKER_09: Back to the middle of the field.
10:53
SPEAKER_09: 25-20 50 10 5 end zone.
10:58
SPEAKER_06: That is 73 yards.
11:02
SPEAKER_06: Taking it there, Justin Baker.
11:05
SPEAKER_06: Touchdown! Tennessee.
11:10
SPEAKER_09: Tennessee will open the season 1-0, knocking off Berman from the SoCon by a final score of 56-9.
11:22
SPEAKER_09: When we come back, the opportunity to talk with Tennessee sophomore wide receiver Travis Smith Jr.
11:29
SPEAKER_09: That's next on the Mike Keith Show delivered by Uber Eats.
11:33
SPEAKER_07: This is the Mike Keith Show.
11:35
SPEAKER_07: Inside access, delivered by Uber Eats.
11:38
SPEAKER_12: Today's show sponsored by Pilot, official travel stop of the vault.
11:43
SPEAKER_12: See you out here by First Horizon, big bank muscle, small bank hustle, by Food City, the official supermarket of the Tennessee Volunteers.
11:52
SPEAKER_12: UT Medical, the official healthcare provider of the vault.
11:56
SPEAKER_12: Bradley Roofing, let us fix your leader, the proud official roofer of the big horns.
12:01
SPEAKER_12: By 5 Euro insurance, the official insurance of the vault.
12:05
SPEAKER_12: Tennessee insurance for Tennessee Light.
12:09
SPEAKER_18: You can taste the difference when meat is done right.
12:18
SPEAKER_18: Nobody does like food every day.
12:31
SPEAKER_09: Bring on the back football native.
12:36
SPEAKER_09: And let the capability of the Ford F-150 bring the rest.
12:49
SPEAKER_09: Your local Ford dealer, proud sponsor of Tennessee Athletics.
12:53
SPEAKER_14: In Big Orange Country, we live for big moments, but we know there are surprises along the way.
12:59
SPEAKER_14: When you need help with auto, some peace of mind for your home.
13:07
SPEAKER_14: Or you're preparing for the next chapter in life.
13:10
SPEAKER_14: Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee is there for you.
13:14
SPEAKER_13: That's why I trust Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee, the official insurance of the balls.
13:19
SPEAKER_13: Tennessee Insurance for Tennessee Life.
13:21
SPEAKER_09: Not funny, guys.
13:24
SPEAKER_18: At Food City, food becomes more.
13:27
SPEAKER_18: You notice it behind the butcher counter, in the rows of produce, and down every aisle.
13:33
SPEAKER_18: Nobody does food like Food City.
13:35
SPEAKER_17: Value every day, Food City.
13:38
SPEAKER_19: Being at the balls game saved my life.
13:42
SPEAKER_19: It was a normal day going to the game with my son, but this time it felt like a sledgehammer hit my chest.
13:48
SPEAKER_19: The UT medical team knew exactly what they needed to do and just kept me calm throughout the process.
13:55
SPEAKER_19: It was probably the most serious heart attack that you could have.
13:58
SPEAKER_19: The team took care of me, worked quickly, efficiently, and I did catch the end of the game.
14:05
SPEAKER_18: These are the stories of the region's academic health system.
14:16
unknown: All the way to the hills of Touchdown, Tennessee.
14:19
SPEAKER_03: Out here, Passion Drives.
14:22
SPEAKER_04: Touchdown, big old.
14:35
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee!
14:36
SPEAKER_14: Pilot, see ya out here.
14:40
SPEAKER_14: When you travel across the great state of Tennessee, one thing you're sure to find is big orange passion.
14:45
SPEAKER_14: You see it throughout every inch of the volunteer state, just like you see First Horizon, serving communities big and small, offering big bank products with small bank passion.
14:56
SPEAKER_14: What else do you need?
14:57
SPEAKER_12: Big bank muscle, small bank hustle.
15:00
SPEAKER_14: That's First Horizon, the official bank of the Vols, proudly serving Tennesseans for over 160 years.
15:10
SPEAKER_11: The future doesn't suddenly arrive.
15:12
SPEAKER_11: It takes shape a little more every day.
15:15
SPEAKER_11: In the homes we build, in the routines that start our mornings, and in the comforts we count on.
15:21
SPEAKER_11: That's the power of natural gas.
15:23
SPEAKER_11: Reliable, efficient, helping homes work better today for a cleaner energy future tomorrow.
15:30
SPEAKER_11: Because the future isn't something we wait for, it's something we live.
15:35
SPEAKER_11: Natural gas fueled for the future.
15:46
SPEAKER_09: Welcome back to the Mike Key Show delivered by Uber Eats.
15:49
SPEAKER_09: Travis Smith Jr.
15:51
SPEAKER_09: is ready to head home to Atlanta this weekend to take on Georgia Tech.
15:56
SPEAKER_09: Coming off a game where he had two catches in the win over Furman, I had the chance to sit down with number one and talk about his start to year two in Oxford.
16:07
SPEAKER_09: Travis Smith, I want to start off talking to you about your high school deserved.
16:10
SPEAKER_09: Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia.
16:14
SPEAKER_09: One of the great athletic high schools in America.
16:18
SPEAKER_09: You played multiple sports there, correct?
16:25
SPEAKER_22: I've never gotten athletic.
16:27
SPEAKER_22: You know, people usually look at you being a D-1 athlete, like, oh yeah, the right-of-way coming straight out, you know, you probably the biggest guy, you know, and all the talent, but no.
16:37
SPEAKER_22: You have other guys that are also D1 athletes that are older than you, got more experience.
16:43
SPEAKER_22: You really gotta work your way up.
16:45
SPEAKER_22: So me coming in, I didn't know if I wanted to do either basketball or football, you know, those are my two loved sports since I was Yay High.
16:53
SPEAKER_22: So basketball on the J V team.
16:56
SPEAKER_22: You got guys like Lion McGee, all the guys, the great and the legends of Westlake playing up.
17:02
SPEAKER_22: And you think, you know, you're good enough, but it's a whole different ball game.
17:08
SPEAKER_22: So going into that season, didn't play much, only played J V.
17:12
SPEAKER_22: That was my basketball season.
17:14
SPEAKER_22: Football.
17:15
SPEAKER_22: Crazy part about football, I did not play ninth grade year.
17:18
SPEAKER_22: I found out I had a liver condition the start of I believe it was the first game in the ninth grade season.
17:25
SPEAKER_22: I was practicing with the team coming in from as an eighth grader, but got the results back from my doctor that I had uh autoimmune hepatitis.
17:34
SPEAKER_22: Um they said, with your enzymes being so high, we think it's a risk for you to play football.
17:40
SPEAKER_22: It could be blood clots and what have you, so they said, you know what, this year you will not play.
17:46
SPEAKER_22: And they wrote me off so I couldn't play football that season in ninth grade.
17:51
SPEAKER_22: 10th grade year going in, I'm already a step behind because I didn't play ninth grade year.
17:56
SPEAKER_22: You know, looking back on it, I'm I'm thankful that happened because I really had to work myself to even be able to be seen.
18:03
SPEAKER_22: You know, of course I had to hide you know all the talent in the world, but you had to understand the scheme, you had to understand the skill set to actually be able to compete.
18:12
SPEAKER_22: Barely played that year because you got guys ahead that were already there like the year before and knew the position.
18:18
SPEAKER_22: Got on the scene junior year, really started to focus on football more because you know, basketball was still there, it was still an option.
18:26
SPEAKER_22: But I understood I probably have a brighter future with football, so I chose that route.
18:31
SPEAKER_22: Also did a track from there, it's history had a phenomenal junior year and then senior year went crazy.
18:37
SPEAKER_22: So Yeah, it was it was hard starting, like especially with the liver condition, um, not knowing if I would ever be able to play football ever again.
18:46
SPEAKER_22: It was hard.
18:47
SPEAKER_22: And for those kids out there that are going through those things right now, whether whether it be autoimmune hepatitis or sclerosis chloragitis, what I just got recently diagnosed with, you can still make a way out.
18:58
SPEAKER_22: Just choose your path, and you'll be alright.
19:01
SPEAKER_22: You have to take care of your body.
19:02
SPEAKER_22: You had to learn that early.
19:04
SPEAKER_09: Learn more discipline that way.
19:06
SPEAKER_09: Has that helped you becoming an athlete at the University of Tennessee overall?
19:11
SPEAKER_09: Understanding that that discipline is gonna be part of your regiment every day.
19:17
SPEAKER_22: Um you have distractions coming out at you, no matter what it could be, but of course that discipline, not be able to play football and having to still have some sort of heart saying, I could still do this.
19:28
SPEAKER_22: You still have to have the discipline to stay grounded, not only with on the field, but off the field with your scholar of antics as well.
19:36
SPEAKER_09: Playing at Westlake is something to really be proud of.
19:39
SPEAKER_09: And and I know you are, you should be.
19:42
SPEAKER_09: How much did that competitive environment prepare you and take some pressure off of you coming into a powerhouse like Tennessee?
19:52
SPEAKER_22: It prepared me a lot because coming in, you know, in high school, you're at the highest competition in Georgia.
19:57
SPEAKER_22: Like, you're going against, like I said, the best competition in Georgia.
20:01
SPEAKER_22: You're playing against dudes, right?
20:03
SPEAKER_22: Like, period.
20:04
SPEAKER_22: Every game.
20:04
SPEAKER_22: Every game.
20:05
SPEAKER_22: So it's no days off, it's no weekends off.
20:08
SPEAKER_22: Like, you have to be committed to it.
20:10
SPEAKER_22: So coming here, we're in the SEC.
20:13
SPEAKER_22: Again, it's the highest competition in all of college sports.
20:17
SPEAKER_22: No matter what sport you're in, I don't care what you say, the SEC is the SEC.
20:21
SPEAKER_22: So having guys of that caliber you have to compete with each and every day, just like in high school, it wasn't too much of a transition.
20:28
SPEAKER_22: Was it hard?
20:29
SPEAKER_22: Is it still hard?
20:30
SPEAKER_22: Of course.
20:31
SPEAKER_22: But you know, I've already come from some of the highest talent.
20:34
SPEAKER_22: And you had to wait your turn in high school.
20:35
SPEAKER_22: I did.
20:36
SPEAKER_22: So waiting your turn last year was just that's not gonna scare you off.
20:40
SPEAKER_22: Not at all.
20:40
SPEAKER_22: Not at all.
20:41
SPEAKER_22: And you know, a lot of guys run from that because they're so used to being that guy.
20:45
SPEAKER_22: Well, starting high school, I wasn't that guy.
20:47
SPEAKER_22: I had to, like you said, wait my turn.
20:49
SPEAKER_22: And there's no different here.
20:50
SPEAKER_22: You know, we have great guys that you're competing with each and every day, and you know, waiting your turn, there's nothing wrong with that.
20:57
SPEAKER_22: You have to be ready for the moment.
20:58
SPEAKER_09: I'm gonna say name, I want you to react, okay?
21:01
SPEAKER_09: Julio Jones.
21:03
SPEAKER_22: All I can do is smile.
21:05
SPEAKER_22: Like, I just seen a picture of me with him.
21:08
SPEAKER_22: I was probably ten or eleven, like it definitely inspired me.
21:12
SPEAKER_22: Like, of course, I'm trying every single day to compete to eventually become better than him.
21:17
SPEAKER_22: But that's the guy I look at for film and all the steps he's taken to get to where he's at right now.
21:23
SPEAKER_22: Like, he's a homotown hero.
21:25
SPEAKER_22: Although he's from Alabama, like, as anybody in Atlanta, Julio is that guy.
21:29
SPEAKER_22: And the physicality.
21:30
SPEAKER_22: Oh man.
21:31
SPEAKER_09: That's where playing with that style.
21:35
SPEAKER_09: Julio Jones was your inspiration dessert.
21:38
SPEAKER_09: To not just be after and be pretty, but to be nasty.
21:41
SPEAKER_22: That's real.
21:42
SPEAKER_22: And a lot about Julio, he's a word I like to describe him as like ferocious, like when he's coming off the ball, you can feel the intensity.
21:52
SPEAKER_22: It's not just you guarding him.
21:54
SPEAKER_22: I'm sure the DBs I've seen interviews of them talking about Julio.
21:58
SPEAKER_22: The way he comes off the ball, it's no Not only on film, but actually guarding him.
22:02
SPEAKER_22: So that's one of the things I try to take a part of his game.
22:05
SPEAKER_22: Like if you see me come off the ball, high knees, I'm coming off as if every route is a goat ball.
22:11
SPEAKER_22: And you're not afraid to hit somebody.
22:14
SPEAKER_22: Oh, no, sir.
22:15
SPEAKER_22: Nah.
22:15
SPEAKER_22: Never that.
22:16
SPEAKER_22: You can't be playing football at SEC.
22:19
SPEAKER_22: You can't be scared to hit nobody.
22:20
SPEAKER_22: Well, and you can't play for Coach Pope and be I thought I was physical.
22:25
SPEAKER_22: That's another story.
22:27
SPEAKER_22: Tell me about you and Coach Pope.
22:28
SPEAKER_22: Man, he's ever since he's recruited me, it's been a connection.
22:31
SPEAKER_22: You know, Coach Pope has taught me so much, not only on the field but off the field while being here.
22:36
SPEAKER_22: You know, we bump heads a lot.
22:37
SPEAKER_22: We actually do, but in that builds our relationship.
22:41
SPEAKER_22: And in that he's getting me better.
22:43
SPEAKER_22: So when we bump heads, he's telling me, you gotta buck hard, you gotta do this and that.
22:47
SPEAKER_22: You know, I'm still listening, but at the same time, you know, it's a great thing to have Coach Pope by my side, you know, helping me become the greatest receiver I could possibly.
22:56
SPEAKER_09: So last year, you got banged up a little bit.
22:59
SPEAKER_09: You didn't get to play a lot.
23:00
SPEAKER_09: Right.
23:00
SPEAKER_09: Now you've put yourself right in the middle of the rotation.
23:03
SPEAKER_09: Right.
23:04
SPEAKER_09: What do you hope to do this year from a goal standpoint, just for Travis Smith's future?
23:09
SPEAKER_22: For myself, of course, you know, you want to have the all the accolades, you know, you want to be a thousand-yard receiver, you want to, you know, be the top of the food chain and, you know, be the best receiver.
23:19
SPEAKER_22: But I really just want to see us win.
23:21
SPEAKER_22: Like, it's I don't even think this year is about me.
23:24
SPEAKER_22: It never will be.
23:25
SPEAKER_22: Like, coach always harps on, you know, play for the guys around you.
23:29
SPEAKER_22: So it's hard to even answer that question because of course I'm gonna play, but I'm trying to do it for the betterment of the team.
23:36
SPEAKER_22: No matter that's on special teams or being the guy on the rotation in the receiver room.
23:41
SPEAKER_09: But you're a very different guy than the one who went to Atlanta for the opener last year.
23:45
SPEAKER_22: Yeah.
23:46
SPEAKER_22: How?
23:46
SPEAKER_22: Well, dealing with that injury, like you said, it was hard.
23:49
SPEAKER_22: I built even more discipline from that.
23:51
SPEAKER_22: You know, I think now I'm more prone to just attacking things, but not only that, just being able to come forward and just be the guy.
24:00
SPEAKER_22: Like I was shy away a lot last year, knowing, you know, Chris Browse will great receiver.
24:04
SPEAKER_22: You know those guys are gonna be the guys that are gonna produce and they're gonna do their thing with the field.
24:09
SPEAKER_22: Now I'm on the upfront, you know, you're competing for a spot, and you know, I'm just trying to attack everything I do.
24:16
SPEAKER_09: Food City is the official grocery store and tailgate provider of the balls.
24:21
SPEAKER_09: I know you work with them, of course.
24:22
SPEAKER_09: Big event in July where a lot of you guys went out.
24:25
SPEAKER_09: What uh looked like it was a lot of fun.
24:27
SPEAKER_09: Tell us about it.
24:28
SPEAKER_22: Shout out the Evan Hall.
24:30
SPEAKER_22: I know he's gonna watch this uh young kid from Atlanta.
24:33
SPEAKER_22: He drove three hours just to see me.
24:35
SPEAKER_22: Did he really?
24:36
SPEAKER_22: He did.
24:37
SPEAKER_22: He was he got there before me.
24:38
SPEAKER_22: He was asking all the guys, where's Travis Smith?
24:41
SPEAKER_22: Where's him this and that?
24:42
SPEAKER_22: You know, shout out to you, Evan.
24:44
SPEAKER_22: Um, you will forever be my number one fan.
24:47
SPEAKER_22: When you see this, yes, I still got some, you know, got some things for you, man.
24:52
SPEAKER_22: Um, but thank you for coming out and seeing me.
24:55
SPEAKER_22: But yeah, like things like that, that's why I do it.
24:58
SPEAKER_22: You know, little kids looking up to me like Evan, like, it's it's wholesome.
25:02
SPEAKER_22: You know, I can never imagine, you know, somebody would just drive just to see me and make their day better just by seeing me.
25:08
SPEAKER_22: It's amazing.
25:09
SPEAKER_09: When you connect with people like that, like Fruit City holds these events, and we did one the other night out in Blunt County.
25:15
SPEAKER_09: It was so much fun.
25:16
SPEAKER_09: When you have that opportunity, meeting Evan is is clearly the best part.
25:22
SPEAKER_09: It is.
25:23
SPEAKER_09: Because it keeps you grounded.
25:24
SPEAKER_22: It does.
25:25
SPEAKER_22: And reminds you of who you were and when you were.
25:28
SPEAKER_22: Right.
25:28
SPEAKER_22: And you know, I look at Evan like myself when I was meeting Julio, like I was saying when I saw that photo a couple days ago.
25:35
SPEAKER_22: Like, you know, seeing Julio play that first time, it was life-changing.
25:40
SPEAKER_22: Like, I I can't explain it.
25:43
SPEAKER_22: It was seeing them on the field in person, not only just on the TV, is it's it's different.
25:49
SPEAKER_22: So, you know, it's you know, guys like Evan or who whoever it may be, just to see me and all those autographs I signed, not just Evans, but all of the people that came.
25:58
SPEAKER_22: Like, I thank you guys.
25:59
SPEAKER_22: Um, thank you, Food City.
26:01
SPEAKER_22: Uh, but yeah, it was a great time.
26:03
SPEAKER_09: When the Mike Keats Show continues, the most famous Vol in Japan visits our studio.
26:10
SPEAKER_09: That's next.
26:12
SPEAKER_07: You're ready for the game.
26:14
SPEAKER_07: The Mike Keats Show delivered by Uber Eats.
26:17
SPEAKER_07: It is your Vall Network.
26:35
SPEAKER_09: The Mike Keith Joe delivered by Uber Eats continues a very special guest with the Zoom studio, Yoshimamoku.
26:42
SPEAKER_09: Here he is, right here, 1993 graduate of the University of Tennessee.
26:47
SPEAKER_09: The good old Tennessee Bar in Tokyo, Japan is yours.
26:52
SPEAKER_09: Many Vol fans know all about it, and I want to talk about that in a second.
26:56
SPEAKER_09: But first of all, welcome back to campus.
26:59
SPEAKER_09: Thank you.
26:59
SPEAKER_09: All right, so you graduated from here in 1993.
27:03
SPEAKER_09: You're from Japan.
27:05
SPEAKER_09: How did you get to the University of Tennessee to start with?
27:08
SPEAKER_23: First of all, I failed the Japanese University Interest exam and then decided to extend my academic career in the USA instead.
27:18
SPEAKER_23: I didn't want to go to uh either West Coast, East Coast.
27:22
SPEAKER_23: There was no internet, so I had to look up the printed reference called Studyable Journal.
27:27
SPEAKER_23: And I found that recently University of Tennessee innovative library, the Hatch Library.
27:33
SPEAKER_09: I remember when it opened.
27:34
SPEAKER_23: Yeah, it opened while I was a student.
27:36
SPEAKER_23: You see, so 1986, it was renovated.
27:39
SPEAKER_23: I went there in 1988.
27:41
SPEAKER_23: So I thought, you know, 200,000 books already.
27:44
SPEAKER_23: I thought I could do research on campus.
27:46
SPEAKER_23: So I picked it up.
27:47
SPEAKER_23: So I didn't know about Rocky Tall volunteers, but fall of 1988, I went to Neyland Stadium.
27:52
SPEAKER_23: That was the day I fell in love with volunteers.
27:57
SPEAKER_09: That and Southern hospitality.
28:00
SPEAKER_09: You had an experience after your first semester.
28:05
SPEAKER_09: You couldn't go home for Christmas.
28:07
SPEAKER_09: And you actually went home with somebody in Middle Tennessee.
28:11
SPEAKER_09: Yes.
28:11
SPEAKER_09: Do I have that right?
28:12
SPEAKER_23: Yes.
28:13
SPEAKER_09: What happened?
28:14
SPEAKER_23: I didn't know that my dormitory in Melrose Hall um was closed during the Christmas break.
28:21
SPEAKER_23: And I talked to the one of the friends that, oh, I don't have any place to stay.
28:25
SPEAKER_23: And then he talked about it with his girlfriend on the Andy Hall Tower.
28:31
SPEAKER_23: And the girlfriend's uh roommate, she offered me to stay.
28:36
SPEAKER_23: And I went there in the Nashville.
28:39
SPEAKER_23: There was a Christmas tree.
28:40
SPEAKER_23: Under the Christmas, there are so many gifts.
28:42
SPEAKER_23: Sure.
28:43
SPEAKER_23: And I was like, oh, I didn't bring anything.
28:46
SPEAKER_23: I feel so kind of isolated, right?
28:49
SPEAKER_23: And then after they start after I finished exchange of gifts, I saw one small gift.
28:56
SPEAKER_23: Oh, this is for you, Yoshi.
28:59
unknown: Yeah.
29:00
SPEAKER_23: And I opened up, and then that was uh uh old spice cologne that I never used, but courtesy matters, right?
29:07
SPEAKER_23: Sure, yeah, so that's why.
29:09
SPEAKER_23: Then I later on I learned that that was southern hospitality, you know, taking care of the guests as if he or she is a part of their family.
29:18
SPEAKER_23: And I was so moved by the kindness and courtesy, and then that's even more I liked Tennessee.
29:29
SPEAKER_23: So that stuck with you as much as going to Neyland Stadium, kind of yeah.
29:32
SPEAKER_09: So you finish in 1993, yes, sir, and then 31 years later, you opened the good old Tennessee bar in Tokyo.
29:42
SPEAKER_09: What led you to decide to open up a Tennessee themed bar in Tokyo?
29:48
SPEAKER_23: The five years in Tennessee, I'm pretty much Eden Oxwell, became the golden age to me.
29:53
SPEAKER_23: Always, you know, motivating myself, even the difficult time of my year.
29:57
SPEAKER_23: I've been working as marketing, you know, for over two decades, but uh my mother passed away at the age of 64, 16 years ago.
30:06
SPEAKER_23: That's okay.
30:06
SPEAKER_23: That was a game changer.
30:07
SPEAKER_23: I thought, oh, life's too short.
30:09
SPEAKER_23: And then started thinking, what should I do before I die?
30:13
SPEAKER_23: And then seven years ago, I came up with an idea to open up Tennessee bar because I want to show my appreciation to the state and the university.
30:22
SPEAKER_09: I love what is the breakdown between Americans who visit your bar and Japanese, and then I guess expats from all over the world.
30:31
SPEAKER_23: Yes, around 70% from the United States, they're tourists, and uh out of 70%, I would say 85 to 90 percent from Tennessee.
30:42
SPEAKER_09: So it's become a uh congregating spot.
30:45
SPEAKER_09: Yes, everybody talks about the incredible memorabilia that you have in the bar.
30:50
SPEAKER_09: Where did you get most of it?
30:51
SPEAKER_23: Most of them, you know, gets brought over themselves, but favorable things is from T Martin himself.
30:59
SPEAKER_23: T Martin?
31:00
SPEAKER_23: Yes, T Martin signed Mini Helmet and sent it to me from Baltimore.
31:04
SPEAKER_23: He used to be the uh coach, uh yeah, quarterback coach for the uh Reverends.
31:10
SPEAKER_23: So he sent me to me.
31:12
SPEAKER_09: So you're always looking for good stuff.
31:14
SPEAKER_09: Yes, when the games are up, time change is obviously very different.
31:18
SPEAKER_09: Are you able to show many of the games?
31:20
SPEAKER_09: Do they do they match up with your bar hours?
31:23
SPEAKER_23: Early afternoon game, for example, kickoff at one o'clock or something.
31:27
SPEAKER_23: It's gonna be 2 a.m.
31:29
SPEAKER_23: at Japan.
31:30
SPEAKER_23: So technically I could, but too tough.
31:34
SPEAKER_23: Yes, at my bar, I replay the highlights of the game we want only.
31:40
SPEAKER_23: So in my bar, Tennessee never loses.
31:42
SPEAKER_23: Tennessee never loses.
31:43
SPEAKER_09: That's my that's my Saza hospitality in Yoshi Mamoki's bar.
31:47
SPEAKER_09: That is so I like that.
31:48
SPEAKER_09: All right, Yoshi.
31:49
SPEAKER_09: It is so good to have you here.
31:51
SPEAKER_09: Thank you so much.
31:52
SPEAKER_09: What an honor to have you on the Mike Keats show.
31:54
SPEAKER_09: Oh, and then one last thing.
31:56
SPEAKER_09: Uh-oh.
31:57
SPEAKER_23: So is that chili?
32:01
SPEAKER_09: Oh, nice! I love it.
32:04
SPEAKER_09: Okay, he's got the coaster from the good old Tennessee bar.
32:08
SPEAKER_09: I'll show it to this camera so you can see it.
32:10
SPEAKER_09: There it is.
32:11
SPEAKER_09: The coaster.
32:12
SPEAKER_09: Man, look at this.
32:13
SPEAKER_09: And a shirt.
32:14
SPEAKER_09: Thank you so much.
32:15
SPEAKER_09: You are so kind to do this.
32:18
SPEAKER_09: And so kind to do our show.
32:19
SPEAKER_09: Thanks so much.
32:20
SPEAKER_09: Go Vols.
32:21
SPEAKER_09: Go Valls.
32:22
SPEAKER_09: Yes.
32:22
SPEAKER_09: Yoshimboki, the good old Tennessee bar in Tokyo, Japan.
32:27
SPEAKER_09: When you visit, you got to go see this ball.
32:30
SPEAKER_09: VFL.
32:31
SPEAKER_09: More the Mike Keith show delivered by Uber Eats right after this.
32:34
SPEAKER_12: You're one-on-one with Mike Keith, sponsored by Food City, the official supermarket of the Tennessee volunteers.
32:41
SPEAKER_12: By Farm Bureau Insurance, the official insurance of the vault.
32:45
SPEAKER_12: Tennessee insurance for Tennessee Life.
32:48
SPEAKER_12: By First Horizon, Big Bank Hustle.
32:51
SPEAKER_12: Small bank hustle.
32:52
SPEAKER_12: By Pilot, official travel stop of the vault.
32:57
SPEAKER_12: By Rackley Roofing, let us fix your lead.
33:00
SPEAKER_12: The travel official roofers of the biggest.
33:03
SPEAKER_12: And by UT Medical, the official healthcare provider of the vault.
33:10
SPEAKER_16: Sometimes it's just protecting the quarterback.
33:13
SPEAKER_16: Sometimes it's all in the market.
33:15
SPEAKER_16: Sometimes it is not just each other.
33:20
SPEAKER_16: We protect to stay ready.
33:23
SPEAKER_16: Depending on where you stay.
33:24
SPEAKER_16: Whether it's protecting the quarterback or protecting what matters at all, the responsibility is to site testify methods.
33:31
SPEAKER_16: Designed to inspire.
33:40
SPEAKER_09: From the roar of Nealand Stadium to the energy of the tailgate, one thing belongs on every game day menu.
33:47
SPEAKER_09: Calhoun.
33:48
SPEAKER_09: Whether you're dining in one of Calhoun's nine-area restaurant locations, taking the feast to your tailgate, or grabbing a bite from one of Calhoun's locations inside Nealand Stadium, Calhoun's face to easy so you can focus on curing the ball to victory.
34:04
SPEAKER_09: Calhoun, a taste of Tennessee.
34:07
SPEAKER_02: Valvoleen Instant Oil Chains Technicians train hard.
34:12
SPEAKER_02: As a proud sponsor of the Tennessee Volunteer, we gave this work a chance, owning their speed, accuracy, and efficiency.
34:22
SPEAKER_02: To be a temperature, you have to train like one.
34:32
SPEAKER_02: Valvoleen Instant Oil Change.
34:40
SPEAKER_03: Out here.
34:48
SPEAKER_03: Out here.
34:58
SPEAKER_03: Passion prevails.
35:02
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee.
35:04
SPEAKER_06: Tennessee!
35:05
SPEAKER_15: Pilot.
35:06
SPEAKER_15: See out here.
35:08
SPEAKER_15: In the heart of every community, caring comes naturally.
35:12
SPEAKER_15: At Farm Bureau Health Plans, we are your neighbors, your friends, and partners in health.
35:19
SPEAKER_15: We believe everyone deserves the very best care tailored to your unique needs.
35:23
SPEAKER_15: Become a valued member of our family, and we'll take care of you and yours.
35:28
SPEAKER_15: Together we care.
35:30
SPEAKER_15: Together we grow.
35:32
SPEAKER_15: Together we thrive.
35:34
SPEAKER_15: Farm Bureau Health Plans.
35:36
SPEAKER_15: Plan on us.
35:53
SPEAKER_14: When you travel across the great state of Tennessee, one thing you're sure to find is big orange passion.
35:58
SPEAKER_14: You see it throughout every inch of the volunteer state, just like you see First Horizon.
36:02
SPEAKER_14: Big bank muscle, small bank hustle.
36:05
SPEAKER_14: That's First Horizon, the official bank of the Vols.
36:07
SPEAKER_09: At Rackley Roofing, we are not a one-man team.
36:11
SPEAKER_09: We're actually not a two-man team.
36:13
SPEAKER_09: Everyone is a critical part of the journey.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: Championship teams are not built by one person.
36:18
SPEAKER_00: Great companies aren't either.
36:20
SPEAKER_11: Like the Vols, coaches and players need to learn to handle the pressure, including the pressure of success.
36:27
SPEAKER_21: We invest in the next generation.
36:29
SPEAKER_08: We invest in our community.
36:30
SPEAKER_21: And most importantly, we invest in our employees.
36:33
SPEAKER_01: Want to change the world?
36:35
SPEAKER_01: Change it.
36:35
SPEAKER_01: One roof at a time.
36:40
SPEAKER_09: George McIntyre is a 6'6, 2008-pound quarterback out of Franklin.
36:45
SPEAKER_09: He prepped at Brentwood Academy, outstanding basketball player as well, and a really great young man to visit with.
36:52
SPEAKER_09: He's coming off his third career appearance in a Tennessee football game and his first career touchdown pass.
36:59
SPEAKER_09: Here's an opportunity for you to meet G Mack.
37:03
SPEAKER_09: This is George McIntyre, volunteer quarterback, red shirt freshman, and his visit is brought to us by our friends at First Horizon, the official Bank of the Balls.
37:13
SPEAKER_09: I know what you've been doing for the last few weeks, but for the other parts of the summer, did you get to do anything fun?
37:19
SPEAKER_21: We had a couple little breaks here and there.
37:21
SPEAKER_21: Um get to go on a little vacations, hang out, hang on my friends back home, but for the most part was here.
37:27
SPEAKER_09: You were all business.
37:28
SPEAKER_21: Yes, sir.
37:29
SPEAKER_09: All right, so in terms of football, what were the main things you were working on during the course of the summer?
37:34
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, I'd say getting bigger, faster, and stronger was probably the main priority.
37:38
SPEAKER_21: And then um just really dialing into the details of every single play that we have in offense and the new installs and old installs, just making sure I know every little detail is a big part for me.
37:48
SPEAKER_09: And you made the move up in the spring.
37:51
SPEAKER_09: What was the biggest difference in what you saw from yourself in spring practice from what you'd seen in 2025?
37:59
SPEAKER_21: It was really my first time being out there uh with the ones and and the twos and the kind of you know, the more of the guys.
38:06
SPEAKER_21: So just really getting to chemistry with them, uh watching that grow throughout spring ball uh was really cool.
38:11
SPEAKER_21: A lot of fun um being out there and kind of being in command.
38:14
SPEAKER_21: So it was a lot, yeah, a lot of fun.
38:16
SPEAKER_09: What was the thing you had to adjust to the most about that?
38:20
SPEAKER_21: I would say the speed of the game is definitely a lot faster.
38:22
SPEAKER_21: I think that would be an answer for a lot of people.
38:24
SPEAKER_21: Uh pre-snap thoughts, post-snap decisions, but some post-snap decisions gotta be made really quick.
38:29
SPEAKER_21: Um, so I would say that's probably the biggest thing for me is you know, don't have as much time to let plays develop.
38:36
SPEAKER_21: You know, a lot of times it's like anticipation and getting the ball quick.
38:39
SPEAKER_09: So what do you enjoy most about playing quarterback for Josh Heichel?
38:44
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, playing a coach hype system is great.
38:46
SPEAKER_21: Um gives a quarterback a lot of a lot of power, I guess, in the offense.
38:51
SPEAKER_21: Uh, you kind of run the whole show, and um, it's very proven.
38:54
SPEAKER_21: Um you know, I think when the quarterback's rolling, the whole offense is rolling.
38:59
SPEAKER_21: I think that's the coolest part about it.
39:00
SPEAKER_09: When you were being recruited, I I heard a story, and you can tell me if it's true or not.
39:05
SPEAKER_09: But when he had chances to call you, you would talk about your tape.
39:10
SPEAKER_09: You would talk about the game that you had just played, you would talk quarterback stuff more than hey, come play for me.
39:16
SPEAKER_09: Is that true?
39:17
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, for sure.
39:18
SPEAKER_21: He'd always ask me, um, you know, what we're running the first play of the next game coming up, or um we talk, we just talk X's and O's, stuff like that.
39:27
SPEAKER_21: My sophomore year, we actually ran a very similar system to what they used to run here at Tennessee with the Y split choice stuff.
39:33
SPEAKER_21: Um, so we talk talk, you know, through that system and what we're trying to attack that week, and then we didn't run got a new OC the next two years, but um, you know, that was cool to be able to kind of share a little bit of the same verbiage and you know, system that they were running with school.
39:49
SPEAKER_21: And yeah, I always thought he was very technical with how he talked to me in recruiting with you know still kind of coaching and recruiting at the same time.
39:58
SPEAKER_21: It was really cool to see.
39:59
SPEAKER_09: Was that different from other people?
40:01
SPEAKER_21: Uh for sure.
40:02
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, especially uh the coaches that were recruiting me at like were defensive coaches, um, that were also calling me.
40:08
SPEAKER_21: Um I'd say like Coach Same and Coach Smart were probably more defense-oriented, and then Coach Kelly LSU was probably he he was kind of just kind of a GM type of coach, and I thought it was really cool that Coach Hype would get down with the X and O's and you know, really let me know that it was his system that they're running here at Tennessee.
40:24
SPEAKER_21: That was my favorite part.
40:25
SPEAKER_09: Have you always liked watching tape?
40:28
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, I think I grew up watching tape.
40:29
SPEAKER_21: I grew up in you know University of Colorado film rooms with my uncle and uh being over there and seeing you know them replay the play a million times with the clicker and the dot used to drive me crazy when I was in elementary school, and you know, I really understand it and uh watched a lot of film in high school.
40:45
SPEAKER_21: Um and it's just I don't know, I've always I've always found it as fun.
40:49
SPEAKER_21: I really felt like it was a you know a job to have to go up and watch extra film after practice.
40:53
SPEAKER_21: So yeah, film just always been kind of a part of my life.
40:56
SPEAKER_09: You referenced your uncle Mike, who uh was the head coach of Colorado at the time and has been uh has been a head coach, and but his his background is really as a defensive coordinator.
41:05
SPEAKER_21: Yeah.
41:06
SPEAKER_09: Now he would tell you that he was a good quarterback at Burrow Academy, that he was a good, but he was really a defensive player.
41:13
SPEAKER_09: Mike's defensive mind and what he's been able to show you and tell you, has he helped your your growth in that way?
41:20
SPEAKER_21: I would say we would talk ball, um, just in the grand scheme of things.
41:23
SPEAKER_21: Um, we never really got super far into the X's and O's with defenses and stuff, but you know, he's always been a good voice to have, whether it's on the field, off the field, X's and O's, or you know, leadership type stuff, always give him a ring.
41:35
SPEAKER_09: So he was a leader, no doubt.
41:37
SPEAKER_09: So when you played against him last year with Mississippi State, I know you didn't take part in the game, but was that strange?
41:44
SPEAKER_21: A little bit.
41:44
SPEAKER_21: Um, yeah, a little bit strange for sure.
41:47
SPEAKER_21: Um it's cool seeing him pre-game and his family, and it's kind of a just a moment where you can kind of feel it just feels a little bit surreal, you know, always going to his games growing up, watching them on TV and then playing against each other last year.
42:00
SPEAKER_21: That's pretty cool.
42:01
SPEAKER_09: When you're running onto the field, ready to go into the huddle, what are the most important things George McIntyre is thinking about?
42:08
SPEAKER_21: I mean, it depends on the situation in the game, but you know, in the game, I'd probably just say definitely try not to let the moment get too big, just staying calm like you're out there in in a scrimmage with with your guys and uh just staying very process oriented throughout the whole process.
42:21
SPEAKER_09: And are you able to feel any of the crowd, any of the intensity, any of what's going on around you?
42:30
SPEAKER_21: Oh yeah, you you definitely can feel it.
42:32
SPEAKER_21: Um I think as as good as our fans are here, I think we definitely feed off their energy and you know how much electricity they can bring to to the stadium.
42:42
SPEAKER_21: Um but at the end of the day, you're you're just playing ball.
42:45
SPEAKER_21: You're playing ball with your with your receivers, O-line, running backs, tight ends, like you're all working together towards one common goal and try to let you know the outside noise not affect how we play.
42:54
SPEAKER_09: Now, and the follow-up to that is what's the balance for you as an athlete, not as a quarterback, but as an athlete, of having the mental part of it, which as a quarterback you have to have, and that being a factor, and then playing, reacting, and not thinking too much.
43:09
SPEAKER_09: Is that hard?
43:11
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, definitely at times.
43:13
SPEAKER_21: Um, I think you can get really caught up with the installs and every tiny little rule, but at the end of the day, it's it's a result-driven sport, and whoever puts the best results out there um it's gonna win.
43:23
SPEAKER_21: Whichever team does that's gonna win.
43:24
SPEAKER_21: So I think there's definitely an aspect of just playing ball at the end of the day and going out and taking the ball from A to B, moving, moving the chain, hitting the big place, uh big touchdowns, stuff like that.
43:33
SPEAKER_21: So yeah, I think you're definitely right on that.
43:35
SPEAKER_09: You have spent your whole life around football.
43:37
SPEAKER_09: What do you love most about the game?
43:39
SPEAKER_21: I would say the intensity.
43:40
SPEAKER_21: I really fell in love with the intensity of football.
43:43
SPEAKER_21: Um, probably my sophomore year high school when it was my first time starting and really feeling you know how important it was to people.
43:50
SPEAKER_21: And uh, you know, that gives me the motivation year round, even when it's not the season to you know still work hard and just knowing how intense the moments are gonna get, you better be prepared for it.
43:59
SPEAKER_09: George Mackett.
44:00
SPEAKER_09: Terry, thanks so much.
44:00
SPEAKER_21: Yes, sir.
44:01
SPEAKER_21: I appreciate you.
44:01
SPEAKER_09: George's visit with us is brought to you by First Horizon, the official bank of the balls.
44:05
SPEAKER_09: We've got more coming up right after this.
44:08
SPEAKER_09: When we come back, Lady Vol volleyball is rolling.
44:12
SPEAKER_09: Your opportunity to meet Kennedy Rogers.
44:15
SPEAKER_09: That's up next on the Mike Keith Joe delivered by Uber Eats.
44:19
SPEAKER_10: This week's Tennessee Lottery Hope Scholar, student athlete of the week is sophomore Vol volleyball player Maggie Dostick.
44:26
SPEAKER_10: Dostick, an outside hitter, is a business analytics major and sports a 3.71 DPA.
44:32
SPEAKER_10: The Tennessee Education Lottery is proud to have raised more than$8.3 billion to support education programs in Tennessee.
45:12
SPEAKER_09: A 5-0 start, and some SEC awards have just come out, some nice ones.
45:18
SPEAKER_09: Middle blocker Jolene Odo is the freshman of the week.
45:22
SPEAKER_09: Caroline Kerr is the co-setter of the week.
45:26
SPEAKER_09: And Kennedy Rogers is the SEC's co-offensive player of the week.
45:32
SPEAKER_09: And here she is on the Mike Keith show.
45:34
SPEAKER_09: This is Kennedy Rogers.
45:36
SPEAKER_09: Hey, congratulations on the start to your season.
45:39
SPEAKER_09: Thank you.
45:39
SPEAKER_09: I'm going to read some more stats.
45:41
SPEAKER_09: Kennedy leads the team in kills with 68 and has a 350 hitting percentage, second in the nation, in both kills per set and points per set.
45:52
SPEAKER_09: I'm the same thing.
45:54
SPEAKER_09: Why is this Lady Ball volleyball team off to such a good start?
45:58
SPEAKER_20: The way we've trained all year long, starting from the spring, you know, having a new group of girls, we just worked really hard to find the connections, find what worked.
46:07
SPEAKER_20: And I think that really like kind of just trickled on throughout the summer.
46:10
SPEAKER_20: We have like a really good training system with Coach Roll, with how we just worked and led practices throughout the summer as well.
46:18
SPEAKER_20: And that preseason, I think that just really was like the glue like to it all, like putting spring, summer, and all that stuff together.
46:24
SPEAKER_20: Preseason is where really like you saw everything kind of come into play and kind of blossom there, which is really nice.
46:30
SPEAKER_20: But we just train really hard, like day in, day out.
46:33
SPEAKER_20: We practice so hard, we work so hard.
46:35
SPEAKER_20: We have a great coaching staff, great support staff.
46:38
SPEAKER_20: Everyone here is just amazing and just pours into us so much.
46:41
SPEAKER_20: It's just like, how can we not be successful?
46:43
SPEAKER_09: Why are you off to such a great start in your first year at Tennessee?
46:47
SPEAKER_20: First, my coaches are just amazing.
46:49
SPEAKER_20: You know, bringing me here, they had a role for me I haven't played before.
46:53
SPEAKER_20: More so of a leadership role, which is nice and it's different, but I'm really enjoying myself so far being a big piece on this team.
47:01
SPEAKER_20: I'm taking a lot of swings, getting a lot of kills, not to mention I just have a great team.
47:06
SPEAKER_20: Like I my setter, Caroline, she has all the stats to back it up.
47:09
SPEAKER_20: Like, she's insane.
47:10
SPEAKER_20: She's like the best setter in the country, like hands down.
47:13
SPEAKER_20: I think she's insane and gives me a bunch of great looks, and my teammates just have so much confidence in me.
47:20
SPEAKER_20: So I think that just helps me to just be able to perform the way I do.
47:23
SPEAKER_09: Who else on this team is unheralded right now that needs some mention?
47:28
SPEAKER_20: Jalen Stout.
47:29
SPEAKER_20: I mean, she's insane.
47:31
SPEAKER_20: Like she's not talked about enough.
47:32
SPEAKER_20: That's my partner in crime.
47:34
SPEAKER_20: She's helps me get splits.
47:35
SPEAKER_20: I help her.
47:36
SPEAKER_20: We work together.
47:37
SPEAKER_20: Like, she's insane.
47:38
SPEAKER_20: I've never seen a lefty opposite pass the way she passes.
47:42
SPEAKER_20: She plays insane defense and she's like so hard to block.
47:46
SPEAKER_09: When you decided to go into the transfer portal, why Tennessee?
47:49
SPEAKER_20: I don't think it's like every other school.
47:51
SPEAKER_20: Like we have our own Lady Voles logo.
47:54
SPEAKER_20: Like we're just our own entity.
47:55
SPEAKER_20: I think Tennessee is like more one of those dominant schools I feel like no one has really been talking about lately in like SEC volleyball.
48:02
SPEAKER_20: I just wanted to come here and, you know, continue to help this program blossom and grow and get more attention.
48:08
SPEAKER_20: I think volleyball is growing nationwide.
48:11
SPEAKER_20: And I think the school can be one of those schools that could like take volleyball to the next level.
48:15
SPEAKER_20: And I just think we had great recruiting staff.
48:17
SPEAKER_20: They're gonna be great people on my team.
48:19
SPEAKER_20: Tennessee is just awesome.
48:20
SPEAKER_20: The fan base here is literally insane.
48:22
SPEAKER_20: I've never been at a volleyball stadium where like they were supporting us, and it's that many people there to just support us.
48:28
SPEAKER_20: And I think we just there's just a lot of reasons.
48:31
SPEAKER_20: Crowds have been crazy.
48:32
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, we've set new attendance records every time we've played at home so far.
48:36
SPEAKER_09: Taking on Pitt, number two team in the country.
48:38
SPEAKER_09: Step up in class.
48:40
SPEAKER_09: Correct.
48:40
SPEAKER_09: You sort of get more of an idea of where you really are this week, you think?
48:44
SPEAKER_20: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
48:45
SPEAKER_20: This will be a true test and big challenge for us, but I think we're ready for it.
48:49
SPEAKER_20: I mean, we've practiced, like I said, so hard in the offseason, preseason, summer, all that all of that.
48:54
SPEAKER_20: So I think we're ready for what they have.
48:57
SPEAKER_20: Honestly, I think we're like um kind of a sleeper?
49:02
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, we're moving up in the rankings right now, so that's a good sign.
49:06
SPEAKER_20: But um, yeah, we're definitely a sleeper team.
49:08
SPEAKER_20: I don't think Pitt's gonna be ready for what we have coming at them.
49:11
SPEAKER_09: So you mentioned your folks coming up to see, like your dad played the NFL.
49:16
SPEAKER_09: Correct.
49:16
SPEAKER_09: He was a nose tackle, Sean Rogers, pro bowler.
49:21
SPEAKER_09: I mean, people couldn't move him.
49:22
SPEAKER_09: You know his nickname, right?
49:24
SPEAKER_20: Yes, Big Baby.
49:25
SPEAKER_20: Big baby.
49:25
SPEAKER_20: Yes.
49:26
SPEAKER_09: Do you ever refer to your dad as Big Baby?
49:28
SPEAKER_20: No, but I always hear it, like every time, like we're out or something, they'll be like, Big Baby, man.
49:35
SPEAKER_09: Like, hey guys.
49:36
SPEAKER_09: I I mean, the I wouldn't call him that.
49:39
SPEAKER_20: No, he's just that.
49:41
SPEAKER_20: He looks good though.
49:41
SPEAKER_20: He's yeah, he's lost so much weight.
49:43
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, he looks great because he was 350.
49:47
SPEAKER_20: He might have been more than that.
49:48
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, he was a very big man.
49:50
SPEAKER_09: Yes.
49:50
SPEAKER_09: Well, you couldn't move him.
49:51
SPEAKER_09: Yeah.
49:52
SPEAKER_09: Mostly known for the Detroit Lions, but played for other teams as well.
49:56
SPEAKER_09: Correct, yes.
49:56
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, yeah.
49:57
SPEAKER_09: I remember him well.
49:58
SPEAKER_09: What is he like at volleyball games?
50:00
SPEAKER_20: Oh, um, you're gonna eat.
50:02
SPEAKER_09: Who's worse, mom or dad?
50:04
SPEAKER_20: My mom, like my dad is so loud, so like he like you're gonna hear him in the stands.
50:10
SPEAKER_20: Like, if anyone ever comes to like a home game, y'all will hear his voice throughout the entire gym.
50:15
SPEAKER_20: He's so loud, and like in a positive way, like he's always just cheering me on and my teammates on.
50:20
SPEAKER_20: Like, he's like, Good job.
50:21
SPEAKER_20: Like, he's just he's just so he's so electric and vibrant.
50:24
SPEAKER_20: Like his energy, like kind of just goes through me whenever that's great.
50:28
SPEAKER_20: Um, yeah, whenever I play.
50:29
SPEAKER_20: My mom, she's always she's kind of like a little bit quieter, a little bit not so loud, not as demonstrated.
50:36
SPEAKER_20: Yes, but you'll hear her too.
50:37
SPEAKER_20: Like, they they both talk, they both are very much so into the game.
50:41
SPEAKER_20: None of them played volleyball, or none of them like really like knew much about volleyball when I first started.
50:46
SPEAKER_20: So they like at first they would just be very loud and kind of wrong at first, but we learned we learned together for sure.
50:52
SPEAKER_20: It was definitely a learning moment for our family because no one in our family's ever played volleyball or like taken it to this level, so yeah, it's been it's been a cool ride.
51:01
SPEAKER_09: All right, so Kennedy Rogers, your dad played football in Texas, correct correct.
51:07
SPEAKER_09: So Texas is coming in here the end of the month.
51:11
SPEAKER_09: How's this gonna work in the Rogers family?
51:14
SPEAKER_20: Well, I already told him that he better be wearing the correct orange.
51:18
SPEAKER_20: Is he gonna come that week?
51:19
SPEAKER_20: Yes, he's they're all gonna be here.
51:21
SPEAKER_20: My family's gonna come to that game too.
51:22
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, so it's gonna be a big game.
51:25
SPEAKER_20: It's gonna be a big game for me.
51:27
SPEAKER_20: Big game for my dad, you know.
51:29
SPEAKER_20: I gotta show him where the real UT is, you know.
51:31
SPEAKER_09: He's not been to a game yet.
51:33
SPEAKER_20: No, they haven't been to a game yet.
51:34
SPEAKER_20: Their first game is Wednesday, and they're coming again on the 26th, the 25th for that Texas game.
51:41
SPEAKER_20: But I gotta show him like we're the we're the real U team.
51:44
SPEAKER_20: All right, well, we'll get to that.
51:46
SPEAKER_20: Yeah.
51:46
SPEAKER_20: Let's go beat Pitt.
51:47
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, let's go.
51:48
SPEAKER_20: Let's go beat number two Pitt.
51:49
SPEAKER_20: Let's go beat Pitt and keep winning these awards.
51:52
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, those are really nice too.
51:54
SPEAKER_20: But it's gonna be so fun.
51:55
SPEAKER_20: What a pleasure to meet you.
51:56
SPEAKER_20: Thank you, you too.
51:57
SPEAKER_20: Yeah, this is Kennedy Rogers.
51:59
SPEAKER_09: She's the co-SEC offensive volleyball player of the week.
52:03
SPEAKER_09: Lady Ball is on the way to take on Pitt on Wednesday.
52:06
SPEAKER_09: Well, that's gonna do it for uh this edition of the Mike Keith Show, delivered by Uber Eats for Kennedy Rogers.
52:11
SPEAKER_09: I'm Mike Keith.
52:13
SPEAKER_09: Thanks for watching.
52:14
SPEAKER_09: We'll see you next time.
52:15
SPEAKER_07: Full access all week long to the latest from the Tennessee campus, the Mike Keith Show online, delivered by Uber Eats, utsports.com.
52:26
SPEAKER_07: We are the Fall Network.